Highlights and images for 2 October 2023

Asia Pacific Youth Environment Forum

The 2023 Asia Pacific Youth Environment Forum focused on empowering children and youth to champion their rights and contribute to a sustainable future, in alignment with the 2023 General Comment No. 26 (GC26) on children’s rights and the environment, with a special focus on climate change. The GC26 stresses the urgency of addressing environmental degradation, especially climate change, and outlines the responsibilities of UN Member States in addressing these challenges.

During the Forum, youth participants delivered the Asia Pacific Youth Environment Manifesto 2023, which will be presented to the Fifth Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific to convene 3-6 October 2023. This Manifesto will be included in the Asia Pacific region message to the sixth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), meeting from 26 February – 1 March 2024.

Children and the Environment

This session was moderated by Katie Reid, Children's Environmental Rights and Participation Officer, Terre des Hommes. Christian Skoog, Sri Lanka Representative of UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), highlighted that over 50% of children and youth live in climate-vulnerable conditions.

Mithrra, a child rights activist from Malaysia, called on adults to share their knowledge and experiences with children and youth. Philip D. Jaffé, Vice Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, underlined that the GC26 demands governments to protect children’s rights to a healthy environment.

What GC26 Means for Us

During this segment, participants shared reflections on the GC26 co-creation process.

Kartik Verma, GC26 Child Advisor, and UNEP Children Affairs Focal Point, India, appreciated the gender and language balance among co-creation participants. Zainab, a child delegate from Sri Lanka, highlighted her country’s Green Skills for All initiative.

Āniva Clarke, GC26 Child Advisor, Samoa, stressed that understanding rights is fundamental for effective climate action.

Advancing Circularity in Asia-Pacific for Climate Resilience

Zainab Naeem, Green Jobs for Youth Pact, moderated this session.

Paul Faulkes Arellano, Founder, Circulathon Consulting, discussed progress towards circularity, highlighting the region’s developments based on the rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, and recycle model.

Amna Farrukh, FAST NUCES Lahore, addressed the reduction of unsustainable materials in the packaging supply chain. Hafiz Jawad Sohail, Youth Climate Activist, Pakistan, called for formalized mechanisms and frameworks for green economic transitions. Shiza Aslam, Karachi School of Business and Leadership, discussed the need for effective communication to engage younger generations on circularity and sustainable consumption.

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Youth-Led Adaptation Actions

Kasumi Ranasinghe Arachchige, Youth Speaker, Sri Lanka, outlined negative effects of biodiversity loss to human health and wellbeing. Subhashi Tania de Silva, Steering Committee, Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), stressed the importance of establishing good understanding of NbS from the outset.

Science Policy Business Forum Youth Segment

Thaybah Mohamed, SLYCAN Trust, moderated this session.

Youssif Aboali, UN Science Policy Business Forum, highlighted the importance of young entrepreneur voices in policy development. Buddhi Marambe, Senior Professor, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, emphasized multidisciplinary approaches and the role of start-ups in climate solutions.

Kavindu Ediriweera, SLYCAN Trust, prioritized training, capacity building, and technical support for entrepreneurs. Ravindu Nawanjana, Founder and CEO, CuteFela, discussed the challenges of youth engagement in social entrepreneurship.

Asia Pacific Youth Environment Manifesto 2023 and Closing

Vikrant Srivastava, Regional Focal Point, presented the Asia Pacific Youth Environment Manifesto. He highlighted, among others, the Manifesto’s call to:

• achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030;
• cooperate on chemicals and waste management;
• reconsider age restrictions for participation in UNEA-6 and the third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution (INC-3); and
• support the Green Jobs for Youth Pact.

Ajay Kumar Jha, Asia Pacific Regional Facilitator of Major Groups and Stakeholders, warned against “youth washing,” urging for more meaningful partnerships that bridge north-south divides.

Azusa Kubota, UN Development Programme Resident Representative in Sri Lanka, remarked on the intergenerational impact, across geographic boundaries, of climate change, and welcomed cross-generational partnerships.